Local govt corruption

The outgoing local bodies in Sindh have allegedly committed massive irregularities and corruption during their four-year tenure. Their term is to end this month. The relevant federal and provincial institutions are inquiring into the alleged illegal appointments, embezzlement in procurements and several other such irregularities. There is nothing surprising about these alleged acts of sleaze in representative organisations as corruption pervades all spheres of life in our society. The investigations cover all matters of corruption, including illegal appointment in local government departments, and it is being conducted under the supervision of the Sindh Local Government Board secretary.

The Board has sought related records from 178 union councils of Karachi. It has asked the UC secretaries to submit appointment orders of all employees, medical fitness certificates, details related to the year of their appointments and the authorities involved in these appointments. The board has received the required information from most of the UCs in Karachi. Only 37 of them are yet to submit the information. The final report on underserving appointments will be prepared and presented to the government after the relevant information is received from all the UCs.

The outgoing local bodies are alleged to have made hundreds of illegal appointments. Previous local bodies too made illegal appointments in local councils. Now investigations are being carried out into malpractices committed during the tenures of two previous local bodies. Previously several UCs were also found involved in illegal transfer and posting of government officials. The government had reportedly only warned the councils involved in such practices. It had also happened that some chairpersons of local councils had issued orders relating to transfer of government officials, though this authority resides only in the local government department.

Corruption in local councils and municipal bodies has long been rife. It needs to be curbed.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 12^th, 2020.

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